Thomas (Tom) Jason Kennon, Jr., went to heaven to be with his family and friends on Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. Kennon was born on March 11, 1939, in Quitman, Ga., to Josephine Ward Kennon and Thomas "Jake" Kennon, Sr. Kennon graduated from Suwannee High School in 1957. After high school, he attended the University of Florida where he received his B.S.B.A in Business Administration in 1962 and Juris Doctorate on Aug. 13, 1966. Kennon was admitted into the Florida Bar in November of 1966. He began his professional career at Airth, Sellers and Lewis in 1966. He served as Suwannee County Judge from January 1973, until October 1993. The Governor of Florida appointed him to the Third Judicial Circuit Court in October of 1993. Judge Kennon retired as a Circuit Court Judge in 2005.
Prior to his legal career he served in the Army National Guard of Florida and as a Reserve of the Army for six years and received his honorable discharge in 1968. Kennon was a dedicated outdoorsman who loved bass fishing in his younger years and was a member of the Suwannee County Bass Masters Association. He developed a passion for turkey hunting and quickly became known as "Turkey Tom" and was a long standing member of the National Wild Turkey Federation (Suwannee River Strutters). Kennon also enjoyed deer hunting with his sons and a few close friends. He had been a member of the First United Methodist Church of Live Oak since his teens and has served many years on the Board of Directors as well as many committees. Kennon was also very active in the local community. He was a member of the Live Oak Rotary Club for over 50 years and was a Paul Harris Fellow. In years past, he was a member and past president of the Live Oak Jaycees and Suwannee High School Football Booster Club. He also served on the board of directors of Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park, where the pharmacy is named after his father (Kennon's Home Pharmacy) and the library is named after his mother (Jo Kennon Public Library).
Kennon is survived by: his wife of 57 years, Diane J. Kennon of Live Oak; his sons, Thomas “Todd” Kennon (Kim) of Lake City and Greg Kennon (Candice) of Lake City, Fla.; grandchildren: Kylie Kafka (Kerner), Kerigan Kennon, Lacey K. Leavitt (Austin), Ashton Hardee, Taylor Williams, Madison “Maddie” Kennon, Mallory Kennon, KatiLynn Herring, Noah Herring and Levi Herring and great-grandchildren: Kennedy Kafka, August Jennings and Oliver Moore.